{"id":24542,"date":"2019-12-26T17:43:11","date_gmt":"2019-12-26T21:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=24542"},"modified":"2019-12-27T17:45:45","modified_gmt":"2019-12-27T21:45:45","slug":"payne-the-hyundai-sonata-will-open-your-eyes-not-your-wallet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/payne-the-hyundai-sonata-will-open-your-eyes-not-your-wallet","title":{"rendered":"Payne: The Hyundai Sonata will open your eyes, not your wallet"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/12\/21\/PDTN\/9237e19d-b96f-49f9-be96-4dd32f53a978-sonata_lake-fr.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"New chassis. The 2020 Hyundai Sonata is tighter, lower and swifter than the previous generation.\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><p>New chassis. The 2020 Hyundai Sonata is tighter, lower and swifter than the previous generation.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-1 p-text\">Well, it seems we enthusiasts weren\u2019t the only folks who missed Hyundai\u2019s curvaceous\u00a02011\u00a0Sonata hottie.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-2 p-text\">Hyundai missed it, too.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Eight years after it scandalized the tired, mid-size appliance aisle with the sixth-generation Sonata \u201cFluidic Sculpture\u201d design, the Korean maker is back with Hottie II \u2014 the 2020 Sonata.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Not only is the new Sonata a knockout, but it\u2019s borrowed some high-tech tricks from Tesla. This Alabama-made model hit the catwalk at the New York Auto Show last spring and actually made us think about sedans again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">With its pouty mouth, wildly decorated peepers, streamlined hood, \u201cdynamic lasso\u201d greenhouse\u00a0and rippled bod, the 2020 Sonata rekindles memories of the car that opened the decade \u2014 and our hearts. After the 2011\u00a0sedan\u2019s wild success, Hyundai apparently got embarrassed by all the attention and retreated to a more conservative wardrobe for its 2015\u00a0model remake. Customers retreated, too.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The plain-Jane 2015\u00a0model was also\u00a0ill-timed as the market was ignoring cars for SUVs. Other automakers like Honda, Mazda\u00a0and Nissan realized that to make sedans more attractive,\u00a0you had to make them more sedan-y. That is, emphasize coupe-like shapes (compared to boxy utes), athletic bods (compared to high-center-of-gravity utes), and lean fascias (compared to jowly, upright utes).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Sonata got the message for 2020.\u00a0As Ken Miles says in &#8220;Ford v Ferrari&#8221;: \u201cOhhhhhh, yes! More of that, please!\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">But it&#8217;s not just the exterior that gets more lovin\u2019.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-SW63ApMAyJk\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/12\/21\/PDTN\/e869831a-87e5-462a-9285-b5027185bdd7-sonata_bliss-display.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Flip the turn signal and you can see cars in your 2020 Hyundai Sonata's blindspot in the instrument display.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/12\/21\/PDTN\/e869831a-87e5-462a-9285-b5027185bdd7-sonata_bliss-display.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/12\/21\/PDTN\/e869831a-87e5-462a-9285-b5027185bdd7-sonata_bliss-display.JPG\" \/>Flip the turn signal and you can see cars in your 2020 Hyundai Sonata&#8217;s blindspot in the instrument display.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The chassis is all-new as well, compliments of that German-in-the-Korean henhouse, Albert Biermann. The ex-BMW M-brand wizard has whipped Sonata into shape. I pined for some sport-utility tricks like a hatchback or all-wheel drive, but Hyundai balanced its\u00a0determination to make a more nimble sedan with the Korean brand\u2019s well-earned reputation for value. Adding an expensive hatch (less rear rigidity) or all-wheel drive system (more weight) would compromise both.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I felt Sonata\u2019s athletic aspirations as soon as I turned onto Arizona\u2019s mountainous roads along Roosevelt Lake north of Phoenix.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The steering wheel, fat and rooted to the asphalt, encouraged me to have fun. Lighter, stiffer\u00a0and lower by 1.4 inches, the Sonata wants to play. But just as you plant your foot out of a corner, you think &#8230; that\u2019s all there is?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The mid-size Sonata offers two engines like its segment competitors, but Sonata\u2019s 245-horse, 2.0-liter turbo-4 is gone. Instead, a standard 190-horse\u00a0normally aspirated 2.5-liter and eco-friendly\u00a0180-horse turbocharged 1.6-liter are right on top of each other spec-wise. That is, they are compact hamster wheels inside a sleek, land shark\u2019s body.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ad-position-68\" class=\"partner-placement partner-spike partner-placement-visible\" data-ad-placement=\"native-article_link\" data-ad-sizes=\"[&quot;fluid&quot;,[3,3], [2,6]]\" data-monetization-id=\"native-article_link\" data-monetization-sizes=\"fluid,3,3,2,6\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-news-opinion-8\" class=\"ad-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CJ2BnJDm1uYCFVe8TwodNoUEkQ\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/mi-detroit-C1561\/native-article_link\/news\/opinion_1__container__\">\n<div class=\"tlod\">\n<div class=\"tl-unit-mid-article tltpvclass_2657\">\n<div class=\"plr-rr__content\">\n<div class=\"plr-rr__above_title\">That\u2019s an issue for Hyundai in this ferociously competitive midsize shark tank.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Spend over $30,000\u00a0and the Mazda 6 gains a 250-horse turbo-4, the Toyota Camry a 301-horse V-6, and the Honda Accord a 252-horse turbo-4. Not Sonata. Its top-line\u00a01.6-liter turbo has pep at low revs, but so does the $22,000\u00a0Honda Civic 1.5-liter turbo-4 with the same horsepower and similar interior legroom. Heck, even the conservatively styled Subaru Legacy gets\u00a0260 horses for $28,000\u00a0along with all-wheel drive that Mrs. Payne covets and Sonata doesn\u2019t offer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">But the Sonata has other things than my heavy lead-foot on its mind.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-SW63ApN8rYY\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/12\/21\/PDTN\/4e1d6ead-7fbe-4456-a30b-5206e5fd5f4a-sonata_roof.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2020 Hyundai Sonata can be optioned with a panoramic roof.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/12\/21\/PDTN\/4e1d6ead-7fbe-4456-a30b-5206e5fd5f4a-sonata_roof.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/12\/21\/PDTN\/4e1d6ead-7fbe-4456-a30b-5206e5fd5f4a-sonata_roof.JPG\" \/>The 2020 Hyundai Sonata can be optioned with a panoramic roof.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Slip into the $28,000 SEL or $34,000\u00a0Limited interiors and you think you&#8217;re sitting in a $50,000\u00a0luxury car. From the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster to head-up display to the gorgeous 8-inch infotainment tablet, you might as well be staring at the horizontal dash of a BMW 3-series. The detail is that good.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The tablet infotainment screen even features swipe-able pages like the BMW, and the Apple CarPlay function won\u2019t set you back $80 a year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Below the raised the tablet is a roomy center console with an electronic\u00a0push-button shifter out of a Hyundai Palisade \u2014 the eye-catching, three-row SUV that people are crowding around over in the SUV\u00a0aisle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Obsession with detail reaches into the most remote corners of the car:\u00a0Rear seats are heated and cooled. Soft armrests have\u00a0phone storage baked in. When I flick on the turn signal, cameras under the mirrors let me\u00a0monitor the cars in my blind spot in the instrument panel. Clever.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Safety features like adaptive cruise-control, automatic emergency-braking and blind-spot assist \u2014\u00a0pricey options on luxury vehicles costing $20,000\u00a0more \u2014\u00a0all come standard on the Sonata\u2019s high-volume $26,000\u00a0SEL trim just like they do on the Honda Accord, Subaru Legacy and Mazda 6.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I\u2019d like to add the Ford Fusion and Chevy Malibu to that list, but Ford is abandoning sedans and Chevy has been slow to offer standard safety devices. You have to climb well north of $30,000\u00a0with the Malibu Premier trim to find tech goodies like adaptive cruise and blind-spot assist.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Separating itself from the competition, Sonata even dips into Tesla\u2019s bag of tricks with a Summon-like feature and key card.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Boxed into a parking garage space? The Sonata will drive to you with the push of a button. Don\u2019t like carrying a key in your pocket? Stash Sonata\u2019s card key in your wallet or purse, and the car will recognize you upon approach.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">But still my left foot twitches. An antidote is in the works.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Next fall Hyundai will unveil the Sonata N-line. Yes, N as in the crazed, three-door Veloster N. Inspired by their compact pocket rocket, Hyundai will extend its capability into the mid-size sedan segment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Normally reserved for the compact class, high-horsepower sedan variants have been rare (the recent Ford Fusion Sport and VW Passat R-Line were limited entries). I got a taste of the Sonata N-line in full camouflage in Phoenix , and kept my lead foot buried the whole time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Though specs are still preliminary, the N-line estimates a whopping 290 ponies from an all-new turbocharged, 2.5-liter engine four-cylinder. With a Sonata chassis developed from the ground up for this kind of adventure, the N-line gains significant suspension and brake upgrades while losing none of the high-tech goo-gaws.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Expect the Sonata N-line to start about $3,000 above the top-line, $33,500\u00a0Sonata Limited I cruised around in. That would make\u00a0it competitive with upper trims like the Accord Touring and Camry Sport.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The N-line won\u2019t be shy just like the rest of Sonata\u2019s sexy lineup. Welcome back to the catwalk, Hyundai.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"presto-h3\"><strong>2020 Hyundai Sonata<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Vehicle type: Front engine, front-wheel drive, 5-passenger sedan<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Price: $24,330\u00a0including $930\u00a0destination charge($31,265 SEL Plus and $34,365 Limited as tested)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Powerplant: 2.5-liter\u00a0inline 4-cylinder, 1.6-liter turbo 4-cylinder<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Power: 191 horsepower, 181\u00a0pound-feet\u00a0torque (inline-4);\u00a0180\u00a0horsepower, 195 pound-feet\u00a0torque (turbo-4)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Transmission: 8-speed automatic<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Performance: 0-60 mph, 7.3 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed, 135 mph<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Weight: 3,230 pounds (SEL Plus)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Fuel economy: EPA est. 27\u00a0city\/36 highway\/31 combined<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Report card<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Highs: Head-turning bod; loaded with standard features<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Lows: More power, please; no AWD option<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Overall: 4\u00a0stars<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New chassis. The 2020 Hyundai Sonata is tighter, lower and swifter than the previous generation.\u00a0(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News) Well, it seems we enthusiasts weren\u2019t the only folks who missed Hyundai\u2019s curvaceous\u00a02011\u00a0Sonata hottie. Hyundai missed it, too. Eight years after it scandalized the tired, mid-size appliance aisle with the sixth-generation Sonata \u201cFluidic Sculpture\u201d design, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24542"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24542"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24542\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24542"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}